There Was A Time
by PurpleFive
Summary: Lucius made an UnBreakable Contract of Marriage when Draco was young. Even tho he is gone the contract must still be obeyed. Will Draco and this girl be able to settle with each other? Will they find love or just resentment?
1. Annual Malfoy Gala

Chapter One: Annual Malfoy Gala

There was a time when she would be kicking and screaming at her mother for forcing her to go. There was a time where she would have purposefully ruined the green satin gown she now dawned. She used to scream and cry, begging her mother to leave her home. If there is one thing you can always count on it's that everything changes.

Tonight Grace sat with cold hands together in her lap, staring blankly out the carriage window. Her dark brown hair fell in soft curls on her shoulders and around her face. Her grey eyes were blank and the moonlight through the small window shone brightly off her pale skin.

"You mustn't be so solemn, dear. It's not good for your complexion." An older woman said curtly from the far corner of the carriage. She, too, was dressed formally in a dark blue gown, long gloves, and lavished in large jewels. Her dark hair was in a tight bun which matched the women's demeanor of being uptight and proper.

"You know, I'm surprised you haven't tried anything yet tonight. What, are you waiting until we get closer to humiliate me in as many ways as possible?" Grace looked from the window to the woman, her eyes now bright with rage.

"No." Her voice was clear and strong, not one to be reckoned with. The woman gave her a self-satisfied grin and eyed the rings on her fingers.

"Good. There will be no exceptions this time. I will not go easy on you." Grace looked back to the window and swallowed the anger she felt rising in her throat. Now wasn't the time.

The carriage pulled up to a stop in front of the familiar house and the doors opened. Men dressed in butlers suits helped her and her mother out and led them to the doorway. It was the same as Grace remembered it to be. The large white house with the oversized marble steps leading to the crystal doorway; she did revel at the architecture but the reasons for her to be at this marvel were still enough to dampen the beauty. Her mother held her head high and walked through the crowd, getting welcomes and compliments. Grace walked behind her, her face blank, only nodding at the people who commented to her.

"Abigail! So glad to see you made it!" A tall, white-haired woman held her arms wide and embraced her mother in a warm hug.

"Of course! I wouldn't miss this party for the world!" Abigail spoke sweetly which made Grace swallow down more anger.

"And who is this? This can't be little Grace?" Narcissa moved toward Grace, her arms open. Grace let the woman hug her and forced a small smile on her lips.

"You've grown up a lot, just like my Draco." Narcissa said, holding Grace at arm's length.

"Thank you, Mrs. Malfoy." Grace said robotically. Narcissa smiled and returned to Abigail, striking conversation about the latest goings-on. Grace let her smile fall and allowed her eyes to wander the room.

It had been three years since she had been to the Malfoy Manor. Tonight was the annual Malfoy Gala that she had been forced to attend since she was ten years old; it was a social status thing that allowed her mother to get her foot into everyone's business and make her opinions heard. Her mother wasn't the wealthiest of women, but she had a powerful name and used it often.

She heard an annoyingly piercing laugh she knew belonged to Pansy Parkinson. Near Pansy was Blaise, Goyle, Crabbe, and of course, Draco. Grace glanced at her chatting mother and headed over to the group.

"Hey! Gracey, it's been too long!" Pansy squealed at the sight of her. The other turned and gave her nods of welcome.

"As I was saying," Draco continued, clearly annoyed with having been interrupted, "the Minister asked me to go get the guy because Potter couldn't. I thought it was because Potter was out on another detail, but it was because he was taking Weasley on a _date_." Everyone laughed. Grace stared at Draco and noticed him shift under her gaze.

She had heard that things had worked out for the best for her friends after the war. She had witnessed the forgiveness of Harry Potter when he convinced the Ministry to give her mother only probation. He had done that for everyone except a select few she couldn't argue with. Grace did not know, however, that everyone was working together at the Ministry.

"Apparently he asked her to marry him or something." Blaise commented.

"Good for them. Now maybe I could get some good cases!" Draco laughed. He glanced at Grace and straightened his back.

"Oooh! This is my _favorite song_!" Pansy squealed, taking Blaise's hand and pulling him to the dance floor. Crabbe and Goyle took the opportunity to sneak off to the buffet leaving Draco and Grace alone.

"Hey." He said carefully. He looked her over with suspicion and caution. Grace stared at him blankly and forced another smile.

"Hey." Without breaking her gaze she grabbed a glass of champagne from a passing tray.

"So did you know that Potter and his group are here tonight? Mother's idea." Grace's brow furrowed as she took a large gulp from her drink. Draco smiled wearily at her and sipped his own.

"They aren't that bad once you get to know them." Draco shifted his weight and sighed, "There's a party down by the lake for our age. It would be more fun than this political cesspool." Grace nodded and Draco set their glasses down on the table beside him. He smiled and grabbed her arm, leading her nonchalantly out of the grand room and through the back garden.

"Hey Draco! What took you so long? Oh, I see, a girl." Seamus laughed, sipping beer from a bottle.

"That's cute!" Minnie squealed. Grace pulled her arm from Draco's grasp and grabbed a beer.

"I'm Grace. Nice to meet you." She shrugged off her dress jacket and sat on a large boulder. Draco reached to grab the jacket that had slid onto the floor and glanced at her back.

"You have a tattoo." He said in surprise.

Grace glared at him over her shoulder, "So do you." Draco felt his temper rising and chose to distract himself with the other people at the small gathering.

"So how do you know Draco?" Minnie asked Grace.

"Family arrangements." Grace answered curtly. Draco couldn't help but smile, she didn't want to announce it either. After an hour Draco and Grace walked back to the Manor, knowing their parents would be looking for them. As they walked back in to the ball room Narcissa called to them from across it.

"Draco, dear, are you ready to make the announcement?" Narcissa asked him as she straightened his jacket. He gave her a small nod and ran a hand over his slicked-back hair.

"What announcement?" Grace asked while looking from Draco to Narcissa and landing on her mother's smiling face. Her heart fell to her feet.

"What? You're not announcing an _engagement_ are you? I thought we weren't going to do that?" Grace whispered, almost unable to contain her anger.

"I'm just as happy about this as you are, Grace, so shut it." Draco hissed. Grace's eyes sparked but she chose to bite her tongue. She watched him walk onto the small stage and gather the crowd's attention.

"I have an announcement to make! Grace Hilde and I are to be married on the 22nd of August! You are all invited!" Draco held his hand out to Grace as the crowd clapped in congratulations. She reluctantly stepped on to the stage beside Draco and let him wrap an arm around her waist. They both smiled and portrayed happiness to the guests. After a few moments Draco thanked them for their attention and walked with Grace off the stage.

"That wasn't that hard." He whispered to her. She glared up at him and pushed his hand off her waist.

"Neither will be killing you if you touch me again." She threatened.

"You know you can't do that." Draco teased with a smirk.

"Doesn't hurt to dream." She said through clenched teeth.

The party soon ended and, as always, Grace and her mother were one of the last ones to leave. As Grace headed out onto the front steps she saw trunks sitting on them. She took a closer look and gasped, completely unable to keep a lid on her fury.

"MOTHER!" She screamed and stormed back into the ballroom. Abigail turned to face her fuming daughter and smiled.

"What are my trunks doing on _their_ front steps?" Abigail stepped to her daughter and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Oh, did I not tell you dear? You'll be staying here until the wedding. That way you and Draco can get better acquainted." Abigail grinned when Grace's face went pale.

"What? Why do I need to know him? I'm marrying him, isn't that enough?" Grace fought back tears of anger as she yelled at her mother. Narcissa was standing in front of her with a look of apology on her face.

"Why can't you just be honest? Why can't you just tell me the damn truth for once in your fucking life?" Grace continued to scream. Draco walked in from the back garden and looked at the three women.

"What's going on?" He asked. Narcissa rushed to him and grabbed his arm, putting him in front of her slightly.

"Grace has just been told about her staying until the wedding."

"She didn't know?" Draco looked to Grace and felt sorry although he didn't let himself show it.

"You will _not_ use that sort of language with you mother!" Abigail warned. Grace stepped closer to her mother and squared her shoulders.

"You're not a mother. You're just some bitch who decided to have a child to get further up the popularity pole. Fuck you." Grace spoke in a dangerously low tone, almost too low for Narcissa and Draco to hear. She spat at her mother's feet and stormed past her and into the back gardens. Abigail took a moment to compose herself then turned to Narcissa and Draco with a smile.

"She'll calm down once I'm gone. She always throws little fits when things don't go her way." Narcissa smiled and hugged Abigail goodbye. They watched the carriage pull away and once it was enveloped in the darkness at the end of the drive they shut the doors to their manor.

"Well that went well." Draco said, smiling at his mother. She rolled her eyes and began to laugh, Draco joining in.

"That went a lot better than I thought it would. At least she waited until all of the guests were gone before blowing up." Narcissa said.

"Is it just me or has her vocabulary increased in the past few years?" Draco commented. Narcissa nodded which started a new wave of chuckles between the two.

"Ah, maybe you should go get her and show her where she'll be staying." Draco nodded, his smile fading, and headed out to the gardens. He walked towards the swing behind the rose bushes instinctively. He turned the corner around them and saw her swinging lightly, her back to him. In nothing but the moonlight Draco couldn't help but notice how broken and beaten down she seemed. He slowly walked behind her and pushed the swing gently.

"You." She whispered after glancing towards him.

"Me." Draco replied, pushing the swing again.

"How did you know I was here?" She asked.

"You always come here after fighting with your mom." Draco pushed the swing harder this time, making it swing farther off the ground.

"What do you want Draco?" She asked after a few seconds, pounding her heels into the ground and stopping the swing. Draco stepped out from behind her and squared his shoulders.

"I'm supposed to show you your room." Grace thought for a moment before grabbing her shoes and agreeing to follow Draco back into the Manor. They walked through the ballroom being cleaned by a dozen house elves, to an oversized staircase to the third floor, and down the quiet hallway to the fourth door on the left.

"My room is at the end of the hall if you need anything." Draco said as he opened the door for her. She stepped in and admired the rich green carpets, silver trim on almost every piece of dark wood furniture, and even the large black satin bed looked welcoming. She turned to Draco and gave him a small smile.

"Thanks." He nodded and started to shut the door, stopping at the last.

"I promise no one will bother you while you're here. We are just as happy about this as you are." With that he closed the door completely and Grace let her defenses down. She fell to her knees and sobbed into her hands, her makeup smearing and her gown staining with salty tears. Draco stood outside her door for a few minutes, listening to her cry, and felt sorry for her for the second time that night.

"Go to bed, Draco. She'll be better in the morning." Narcissa said behind him. He glanced at her then nodded and headed to his room. With one last glance at her door he shut his door on the entire night and its events.


	2. Anything You Want

Chapter Two: Anything you want

A few days passed and Grace never surfaced from her room. Narcissa had checked on her through the house elves and sent food throughout the day, none of which Grace ate.

"I think she needs to be pulled out of her mood." Narcissa mused one afternoon while her and Draco ate lunch.

"What did you have in mind?" He asked. Narcissa looked at him and smiled.

"How about a trip to Diagon Alley? You two could go out and do some shopping! Girls love shopping." Draco looked at his mother with furrowed brows.

"I don't think she'll go for that."

"Oh, tosh! Of course she will! Especially when you tell her she can buy anything she wants, on us." Draco's eyes widened.

"What?" Narcissa smiled at her son and ate another spoonful of strawberry ice cream. Draco glared at her for a few more moments before agreeing and heading upstairs. His mother had done nothing but worry about her well being since she had walked in and worrying did not suit his mother well. He needed her out of her mood so his mother would get out of hers.

"Grace?" Draco asked through the door after a few knocks.

"Grace, it's Draco. I'm to inform you that we are going shopping today and will be leaving in an hour." Draco heard a rustling inside the room and smirked. Suddenly the knob turned and the door cracked open. He looked down at the piercing silver eyes now staring at him.

"Shopping? Why?" Her voice was a little hoarser than Draco remembered but he kept his smirk in place.

"I was told it's what makes girls feel better." Grace stared at him then whispered she'd be down in an hour and closed the door. Draco couldn't help but grin at his accomplishment; he was always good at getting what he wanted.

An hour later Draco stood at the doorway of the Manor, looking at his watch impatiently.

"Now you two have fun and don't forget she can get anything she wants and you will pay." Narcissa reminded him. He nodded and she walked into her study and shut the door. Draco checked his watch again and was about to head up the stairs to get her when she was suddenly at the top of them. She was wearing plain blue jeans and a fitted jacket. Her brown curls hung softly around her face which seemed to have more color than the night before. Draco noted the way her body curved and how her eyes glittered against her pale complexion.

"Sorry." She mumbled as she walked passed Draco and out the front doors. They climbed into the carriage and rode silently to Diagon Alley. Once they arrived Draco asked her where she wanted to go first.

"Why don't we start on the right side and then shop the left side on our way back?" Draco nodded in agreement and they began walking. Neither one spoke as they wandered in and out of shops until they got to the dress shop. Grace stared at her reflection in the window and felt her heart sink. Through the reflection it looked as if she was wearing the white ball gown in the display window. Draco stood next to her and quickly realized why she had stopped suddenly.

"This is why we're here, isn't it?" Draco looked at her through the reflection and shook his head.

"We are here so you can get something. Anything you want, on the Malfoy family." She turned to face him, eyeing him up and down.

"Who are you?" Draco was taken aback by the question and just stared at her.

"What do you mean?"

"You are not the Draco I grew up with. You're…you're nice." Draco couldn't help but smile.

"I'm Draco; the _real _Draco. Not the son of Lucius Malfoy or a Death Eater for the Dark Lord. I don't have to be that stone cold bully now that both of them are gone." Draco confessed. She stared at him then slowly allowed herself to smile.

"Okay, I'll buy it."

"Well today you can buy anything." Draco joked.

"Why?" Grace asked, still smiling.

"It's our way of apologizing for what my father set up with your mother. My mother and I don't think its right but we know the consequences, as I'm sure you do too." Grace nodded and let her smile fade. "We just want you to be comfortable."

"Well, thank you." Grace glanced back at her reflection with the dress then started walking up the street to the next shop.

"Have you thought about anything you want?" Draco asked after a dozen more shops. Grace shook her head and sifted through the clothes on the rack in front of her.

"You have to have thought of _something_ by now." She stopped and looked up at him. The spark in her steel eyes surprised Draco and so did her turning on her heels and walking out of the store. He followed her but didn't speak, just allowed her to lead the way to what she wanted. She stopped in front of one of the first shops they had entered nearly two hours before. Draco followed her gaze and furrowed his brow.

"A necklace?" Draco had been expecting her to choose something large and expensive instead she was staring at a simple silver chain with a small green pendant on it.

"Yes, that necklace." Grace pulled her eyes from the necklace and looked up at Draco, expecting him to recant his earlier statements about her getting anything. He shrugged and walked into the store. Grace watched through the window as Draco grabbed the attention of the clerk, had him retrieve the necklace from the display, package it nicely, and then Draco paid and walked back out to her side.

"Here, your necklace." He held out the small bag and waited for her to take it. She looked at the bag then to him.

"You actually got it." She whispered. Draco couldn't help but laugh as she tenderly grabbed the bag from his hand and hugged it close.

"Yes, I actually got it. I told you I would." Grace swallowed back tears and stood straight.

"Thank you, Draco." He nodded and gestured to head back towards the carriage.

"Should we head home for supper?"

"Yeah, I'm a bit hungry." Grace said slowly, still hugging the little bag.

_**X x X x X x X**_

"I wanted to apologize for my actions the other night, with my mother. It was very rude of me to speak like that in front of you." Grace said to Narcissa after their supper was cleared away.

"It's alright dear. We know how you feel and I would have been the same way. Although, Draco did point out how your vocabulary has grown since we last saw you." Narcissa joked, keeping the mood light.

"I also wanted to thank you for today. It was refreshing and easy to enjoy." Narcissa smiled at Draco and squeezed his hand motherly.

"He has changed a lot since the fall of the Dark Lord. I am proud of him." Draco allowed a small smile to cross his lips then quickly put his focus back on the bowl of ice cream before him.

"I've noticed." Grace muttered, watching Draco mix the chocolate sauce with the frozen cream.

"Tomorrow we have to do something less than pleasant, I'm afraid." Narcissa said, pulling the attention of both Draco and Grace.

"We have to go speak with the coordinator for the wedding. It's only three months away." The mood in the room turned dark and they pushed away their desserts.

"Fine, what time?" Draco asked.

"9am."

"Okay, we'll all meet at the doors at eight. I'm going to call it a night. See you tomorrow morning." With that Draco stood and walked from the dining room. Grace watched after him still confused with his new behavior.

"You should probably head to bed as well, dear. I will see you in the morning." Grace gave Narcissa a small smile then left the dining hall and went to her room.


	3. Coordinator, Swimming, and a Kiss

Chapter Three: Coordinator, Swimming, and a Kiss

The next morning Grace woke early and decided to wander the Manor with the time she had to spare. She wandered down to the main floor and in to the various rooms whose doors were open. She didn't dare go in to one that was closed in fear that Lucius' things would be there which would remind her of the very dark times they had all experienced. She stared at the portraits on the walls as she walked toward the end of a large hallway. She turned into the open room at the end and let out a small yelp in surprise.

"I'm sorry. I didn't think anyone would be up." She said quickly, turning to leave. Draco put down his book and stood.

"It's okay. It's the library, its common area." Grace stopped and turned toward him. She had noticed his kinder words but she couldn't believe over the past couple weeks other signs of him growing up had slipped her sights. His height, a good five inches above her, was only one thing. The way the thin t-shirt clung to muscles beneath it and his arms were toned and smooth. His jeans weren't tight but they weren't baggy either. His hair was a good length to be stylish even when boyishly tousled.

"You okay?" Draco asked, pulling Grace from her thoughts.

"Yes." She answered quickly, turning to leave again.

"It's almost time to go, I'll walk with you." Draco called after her. As he rushed up beside her Grace couldn't help but inhale the sharp scent of cinnamon that drifted with him.

"So, what does a coordinator do anyway?" Grace asked, hoping for a distraction from watching his arms flex with every step.

"They help you with every part of a wedding; from the location to the last petal." Hazel nodded in understanding and decided to stare at the carpet, talking wasn't distracting enough. They reached the door where Narcissa greeted them then they headed out to the carriage.

After an hour of silence they finally pulled up to a tall stone building with the words 'Happily Forever After Coordinators' on the front window. A scene of brides and grooms dancing in miniature fantasy settings were in the window display. The three filed in the small store and were immediately bombarded with the sounds of wedding bells and various paper birds flitting around their heads. A wiry man came out of an office and greeted them, leading them back into a large room lined with tall books.

"Hello Mrs. Malfoy! It is so nice to finally meet you! And Draco, such a handsome young man! This must be Grace, the lucky bride-to-be. I am Mr. Gringos; I will be your coordinator." His smile was wide and his eagerness intense. The four of them sat at the large table in the middle of the room and Mr. Gringos pulled three books from the shelves and opened them in the center of the table.

"As I understand it we already have a date?" He asked them.

"August 22nd." Narcissa answered.

"Fantastic, a little over two months to plan! Now, the first thing we need to do is pick a location. What kind of wedding were you hoping for; beach side, fantasy garden, or majestic castle?" He stared at Grace expectedly. Grace stared back, thinking how she did not want a wedding at all.

"We are having the ceremony and reception at the Malfoy Manor." Narcissa injected. Mr. Gringos turned his sights to her and grinned.

"Wonderful! Now what about the guests, how many do you think?" He continued on with the questions, talking directly to Narcissa now, and jotted a few notes down between answers. Draco and Grace started flipping through the books he had laid out.

"Do you want to plan any of this?" Draco asked Grace suddenly. She glanced up at him then returned to her book.

"Not really. I mean, part of me does because what girl doesn't want to make it perfect, but then again…" She didn't have to continue, Draco knew what she meant.

"We can leave this up to my mother, if you want. You can do something else." Grace closed her book and looked at him.

"Really?" Draco nodded and she smiled.

"Yes, I would rather do something else."

"Mother, Grace and I have to go. We have that appointment at the jewelers. We can't cancel again." Draco suddenly interrupted the coordinator's question. Narcissa nodded to him then turned her attention back to the overexcited coordinator. Draco grabbed Grace's hand and led her from the shop and into the waiting carriage.

"So where to now?" Draco asked with a smile. Grace thought for a second then sat up eagerly.

"I want to go swimming." Draco eyed her for a second before shaking his head and directing the carriage back towards the Manor. When they arrived Draco told her to meet him by the pool in twenty minutes and they both went to their rooms to change.

Twenty minutes later they both strolled up to the back doors, each in their bath robe and holding a towel.

"It's a good day to swim, lots of sun." Draco said lightly as they walked together to the pool side. Grace nodded and claimed a lounge chair with her towel. Draco did the same, watching her out of the corner of his eye. She slipped of her robe, revealing porcelain skin covered only by the dark green material the bikini offered. Draco stared for a moment as she walked to the water's edge and noted the muscles flexing in her legs and the few in her arms. She wasn't a body builder by any means but she was toned enough to be called healthy. She pulled her dark curls off of her neck and tied them up in a loose ponytail. She tested the water with her toes then dove in gently. She began swimming laps lazily, switching between swimming styles randomly. Draco cast his robe onto the chair next to his and opened his book. Grace swam up to the edge of the pool stared at him.

"What?" Draco asked, becoming uncomfortable under her gaze.

"Why aren't you swimming?" She asked simply.

"I don't want to. I'd rather read." Grace seemed to accept the answer because she remained quiet for a while. She looked him over and was happy to see that her imagination had not lied to her that morning. He did in fact have muscles and his body was, to put it simply, gorgeous. His tousled hair and grey eyes made him all the more desirable. Physically, Draco Malfoy was a catch.

"How do you seem to be so okay with all of this?" Grace asked him suddenly, resting her head on her hands on the edge of the pool.

"I've accepted it." He said simply.

"But how?" Grace pressed. Draco put down his book and leaned towards her.

"I don't have any other choice. It has to happen so why spend the time and energy being upset about it?" Grace stared at the concrete in thought and after a few moments Draco leaned back and picked up his book where he had left off.

"But we've never even kissed." Draco was caught off guard by her comment and peered over his book at her. She was still staring at the concrete with a concentrated look.

"What?" She looked up at Draco and with a serious face repeated her statement.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Draco asked, pretending to be more interested in his book.

"Well, a kiss is usually the start of a relationship. How am I supposed to marry you if I've never even had a relationship with you? What if we go to kiss on our wedding day and find out we don't like it? We don't want everyone else knowing that." She was talking more to herself than Draco, he knew that, but she did have a point.

"You'll like it, trust me." Grace smiled and flicked water at him.

"I wouldn't be so confident. You never really know." With that she pushed off the wall and floated back into the water, ending the conversation. They played in the water and basked in the sun for a few more hours until Narcissa called them in for an early supper. Draco offered a hand to Grace and pulled her out of the water. She quickly wrapped a towel around herself and started walking toward the doors. Draco caught her wrist, making her turn around. As she did his lips met hers in a warm kiss. She felt her body relax and her own lips press back on his. He parted his slightly and her toes began to tingle. Her head began to swirl and she put her arm around his neck. He pulled away and smirked at her.

"Told you you'd like it." He walked past her in to the dining room as she remained frozen, staring at the spot where he had been standing. Her hand slowly went to her lips, brushing them, and she smiled.


	4. Dress Number Four

Chapter Four: Dress Number Four

Draco and Grace carried on the next couple weeks doing whatever they felt like with all the time in the day, leaving Narcissa and Mr. Gringos to the wedding details, until one afternoon Narcissa came in and announced they were needed for some of the planning.

"Hello dears. I'm sorry to pull you away from your lazy afternoon but we need to go into town. Today is 'Dress Day'. I know I'm supposed to be in charge of the details but this is one choice you will want to make, Grace." The two agreed and headed off with Narcissa.

"So you two seem to be getting along lately. Something change?" Narcissa asked, eyeing the two before her.

"What do you mean?" Draco asked.

"I mean, are you two okay with wedding now?" She pressed.

"Not particularly but it's going to happen anyway, so why spend the time and energy being upset about it?" Grace answered quickly, taking the words from Draco's mouth.

"Okay, well that's a good way of thinking." Narcissa said, dropping the conversation. Draco shook his head at Grace for using his words and she laughed.

"Here we are! Now, I have narrowed the selection to five dresses. You just have to try them on and pick one." Narcissa explained as they filed into the dress shop. Grace was shoved into a dressing room while Narcissa and Draco took seats in front of the large half-moon of mirrors.

"Dress number one." The shopkeeper announced after a few minutes of fabric rustling and a couple curse words from Grace, which made Draco chuckle. She stepped out of the dressing room and glared at her audience. The dress was pure white, like all the choices Narcissa had given her, but it was covered in feathers, even the bodice had smaller white feathers on it.

"I feel like a giant pigeon." She said dryly. Draco put his fist to his lips, hiding a grin. She turned back in to the dressing room and started on dress number two. She had the same feeling about dress two because of the giant lace flowers placed sporadically on the bodice. Dress number three earned her some looks from the peanut gallery as it was white silk with a low cut front and even lower cut back.

"I would like it, if I wasn't getting _married_." Draco could no longer stifle his laughter and let it burst out. Grace stuck her tongue out at him childishly and stomped back in to the dressing room.

"Dress number four." The shopkeeper announced. Grace walked out and stepped in front of the mirrors. She turned around and looked at herself thoroughly. It was a ball gown style dress with light beading on the heavily boned bodice. The lower skirt was made of netting and hung nicely just barely above the ground. The small sleeves attached to the bodice allowed her to feel more secure that the top would stay up, although the fit was more snug than any of the others. She pulled her hair out of its loose pony tail and let her curls bounce around her shoulders. Draco stared at her as she let down her hair and proceeded to gape at the dress. He felt his stomach flop when she turned to them and smiled.

"I actually love it." Narcissa clapped her hands together then ran to hug the girl.

"Well, what do you think?" Narcissa and Grace faced Draco, waiting for his answer. He looked her over once more then stood.

"Perfect." Narcissa clapped again and rushed to the shopkeeper to organize the payment and delivery. Grace turned back to the mirror and continued to gaze at the dress.

"I can't believe I'm actually smiling!" She exclaimed to Draco, who had moved to stand behind her. She turned around to face him, her smile wide. He looked her over once more then stepped forward, put his hand through her hair onto the back of her neck and brought her lips to his. All air escaped Grace as her head lit off fireworks. Draco parted his lips and Grace felt her head begin to swirl. She put her arm around his neck and this time Draco put both of his around her waist and pulled her close to him. Her heart stopped and so did her world when his warm hand found its way to the bare skin of her back. He pulled away suddenly and stepped back. Grace opened her eyes and stared at him questioningly. She looked over and saw Narcissa and the shopkeeper headed back in their direction and understood the abrupt ending of the kiss.

"Well the dress is yours, dear! Congratulations!" The shopkeeper chimed happily; Narcissa clapping in agreement.


	5. Self Control

Chapter Five: Self-Control

Grace couldn't help but smile the whole way back to the Manor as she held the dress in her hands. Not only had it been absolutely stunning on her, she had gotten a mind-blowing kiss from Draco while wearing it. When they arrived Narcissa took the dress to her study to keep it safe. When she returned to them she announced that she was going out to do more wedding errands and she would be home late. Draco and Grace wished her luck and returned to their books. After a while Grace put down her book and announced she was going to go for a swim.

"You're welcome to join me." Draco looked over his book at her and shook his head.

"I'm okay, thank you."

"Buzz-kill." Grace joked as she headed out of the library. Draco tried to keep reading but gave in after trying to read the same page seven times and retaining nothing. He set it down and headed towards his room. As he walked down the hall he glanced at Grace's door and stopped when he saw her through the small crack. She was in her bikini but was brushing her curls in the mirror. He felt his stomach flop and an urge to bust through the door and take her in his arms. He resisted and ended up standing in the middle of the hall staring at her through the crack in her door. When she finished with her hair she slipped in her robe, grabbed her towel, and headed for the door. She pulled it open and was startled to see Draco standing in the hall. He had an intensity in his eyes she had never seen before and wasn't totally sure if it was good or bad.

"Are you okay?" She finally asked. Draco shook his head only a fraction, still staring at her.

"What's wrong?" When she took the step forward all of Draco's restraints collapsed and he rushed towards her, scooping her into his arms and lifting her off the ground, smashing his lips against hers. She melted into his touch and allowed him to explore her mouth. He carried her to the bed then let her fall, landing on top of her. They kissed passionately as their hands explored each other until Grace bit his lower lip lightly. He let out a low growl and pulled the front of her robe open violently, moving his lips to her neck causing her toes to tingle, he moved one of his hands onto her breast and began to massage. Grace felt a moan escape from between her lips. Draco wrapped a strong arm around her waist and lifted her, moving her fully onto the bed. She grabbed his shoulders and squeezed making him bring his lips back to hers. Her head began to swirl and she allowed herself to surrender to the feeling. His hands explored her body, running smoothly across her stomach, his thumb grazing the edge of her bikini bottoms. She felt another moan escape her lips and clawed at his shirt, tearing it over his head and off his body. She moved her arms out of the robe and cast it aside. Draco moved himself between her legs and ran a hot hand up her leg from her knee to her upper thigh, grazing the edge of the bikini again. Grace let her hands wander over his muscular torso, trying hard not to dig her fingers in when he did something amazing with his hands. Giving in she skillfully removed his bottoms and cast them aside with her robe.

Grace could feel the yearning of her body and pressed her hips hard against Draco. He growled again, grabbed the edge of her bikini bottoms and pulled them off slowly. She grabbed the waist of his boxers and did the same. She slipped off her top and closed her eyes in ecstasy and he traced her breasts with his mouth. She pressed her hips against him again and he crashed his lips hard against hers the same instant he crashed into her. She gasped into the kiss then pressed back against him with both her mouth and her hips. They continued, moving in sync with each other until both of their toes curled and Grace called out in pleasure.

Draco lay next to her, both breathing hard, and started laughing.

"What?" Grace asked, feeling self conscious.

"The first thing I wanted to say to you sounded too cliché to say out loud but made me laugh." Draco explained, spreading an arm across the pillow above her head.

"What is it?"

"I was going to say you were the best I'd ever had." Grace was silent for a second before bursting out in laughter. Draco joined in on her laughter the sat up and began tickling her.

"Stop! Please!" She begged. Draco obeyed and stared down at her. He tucked a loose curl behind her ear and bent down, kissing her softly. She looked straight in to his eyes and pulled his lips back to hers and didn't let him go.

X x X x X x X

"I don't know about you but I'm hungry." Draco said while holding a sleepy Grace in his arms.

"Making love all afternoon would do that to a person." She mumbled, stifling a yawn. Draco looked down at her and smiled.

"Come on sleepy, let's get some supper." Grace reluctantly rolled out of the bed and walked to the closet for clothes. Draco slipped on his boxers then walked up behind Grace and wrapped his arms tightly around her. He kissed her neck and inhaled deeply.

"Mmm, we need to shower." He mumbled against her neck, "We smell like sex." Grace laughed and grabbed Draco's hand, leading him in to her large bathroom.


	6. What If I Said I Loved You

Chapter Six: What If I Said I Loved You

"I think we are finally set with the arrangements for the wedding." Narcissa announced at breakfast a couple weeks after picking out the dress.

"That's great, mother. You are very efficient." Draco said, giving his mother a smile. Grace made a face and pushed her food around her plate.

"Thank you." She said dryly. She pushed her food around for a few more minutes then excused herself and went to her room.

"What's wrong with her?" Draco shrugged and they continued eating their breakfast in silence.

When he was finished, Draco kissed his mother's forehead and thanked her again then headed up to Grace's room to find out what was wrong. He opened her door and found her sitting on her bed hugging a pillow.

"What's wrong?" He asked softly. She looked up at him and he could tell she was fighting back tears.

"You don't have to hold them back. It's just me." Draco whispered. He ran his finger lightly across her jaw and when he reached her chin she had tears streaking down her cheeks. He felt his heart ache. He pulled her in to his arms and kissed her hair.

"What's wrong?" He asked again.

"I feel so stupid!" Grace bubbled through tears. She sniffed and wiped tears from her eyes with her hand.

"About what?" She sighed and rolled her eyes, annoyed with crying.

"When your mom said the plans were almost complete I felt bad for not doing any of it. I got mad at myself for being so juvenile. It is my _wedding_ after all, and according to the contract, unless you die, I can't have another one."

"I would rather not die." Draco joked. Grace laughed and wiped away more tears. Draco lifted her face to his and kissed away the tears falling freely down her porcelain cheeks.

"You shouldn't feel bad. The only important part of the whole wedding is the dress, and you chose that." Grace smiled and rested her forehead against his, lacing their fingers together.

"I guess you're right. That is the only thing people tend to talk about at the receptions. That and the band. Oh please tell it's someone acceptable! Not some morbidly classic group or something!" Grace bounced up, making Draco smile at the girl he had come to love. Love, he hadn't realized that was how he felt until that very moment.

"Can I tell you something without you freaking out?" He asked her. She sat back down beside him and grabbed his hands.

"What am I going to do, walk out?" He shrugged her joke off and squeezed her hands.

"What if I told you I love you?" Grace stared at him blankly for a few seconds before smiling.

"I would say I love you, too." Draco let out the breath he hadn't realized he was holding and smiled.

"Really?" He whispered. Grace nodded excitedly.

"I didn't fall in love because I felt I had to, I fell for you because you are amazing." Draco grinned and kissed her softly, letting his hand rest on her soft neck.


	7. It Feels Right

Chapter Seven: It Feels Right

The harp strummed lightly in the background making the transformed yard seem more like a fairytale than the décor alone. With large towers of pink roses holding up the white silk tent, each guest got their own enchanted rose that would be forever in bloom. As expected, everyone from the ball had arrived with many more guests as well. Grace's mother spent her time mingling with the various peoples and getting her foot into their business while her daughter prepared for her big day with the help of Narcissa.

"Would you like me to go get your mother?" She asked Grace once.

"No. This is just a business transaction to her. I don't want her to ruin anything." Grace ran her hands over her dress for the hundredth time and smiled. Narcissa held her at arm's length then wrapped her in a tight hug.

"I'm so glad you are happy! That Draco is happy! It just makes me happy!" They laughed together and finished putting the last few pins in her hair then declared her ready to walk down the aisle.

Standing at the doorway to the yard Grace took a few deep breaths to calm her nerves. When the doors opened she looked from the flowers in her hand and caught Draco's gaze. What nerves she had disappeared and she knew that this was the right thing; this is where her heart belonged and that everything would be okay from now on.


End file.
